Couch-bed construction



A. F. KUNZE.

COUCH BED CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 29. 19!].

Patented June 14, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR F. KUNZE, OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

COUCH-BED CONSTRUCTION.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR F. KUNzn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Couch-Bed Constructions, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in couch bed construction, and the object of the invention is to provide a couch bed of simple, durable and inexpensive construction, which may be locked in either its open or closed positions and unlocked with so little manipulation that the action may be regarded as almost automatic.

Owing to present living conditions, couch beds are coming into very general use, and a very large number are manufactured annually. -To be commercially successful, the essential features of couch bed structure are simplicity, durability and low cost. It has been found that if couch beds are not provided with lockin devices, the inner or draw-out part tends to creep from Whatever position it is placed in, that is to say, if the structure is in its telescoped form and used as a couch, the inner part has a tendency to creep out, while when the structure is extended'for use as a bed, the draw-out part has a tendency to creep back. To overcome this disadvantage, it is necessary to provide means for locking the parts in both the open and closed positions. Owing to the essential factors of both simplicity and inexpensiveness, it is obvious that the locking device must be of the simplest character and practically automatic in its action. Such a structure is embodied in the pres.- ent invention in a variety of modifications, the various modifications being merely manufacturing details, so that all are embodied in a single invention.

The device consists essentially of a catch carried by one part of the. structure and adapted to cooperate with the other part to hold the parts in either open or closed position; These catches may be formed by cutting out or notching members of the struc trim or by attaching small projecting pieces. In either case, the arrangement is such that the only action necessary to disengage the catch is a slight lifting movement of the drawn-out portion of the couch, such as Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 14, 1921 Application filed June 29, 1917. Serial No. 177,642.

would be applied almost automatically in telescoping the structure.

II1 the drawings which illustrate the invent1on:

Figure l is a perspective view of one end of a couch bed in partly open position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end elevation illustrating the operation of the catch shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation showing a slight modification of the catch illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. a is a fragmentary perspective view showing a slight variation in the disposition of the catch according to Figs. 1 or 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a slightly modified form of catch.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation showin a catch of resilient type.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevation showing a catch of gravity type.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A designates the body and B the draw or extension of a couch bed. Each of these consists of a pair of end members of inverted U-shape, of which only one is shown. The end members consist of top rails 11, to which the resilient bed bottom fabric is attached, and uprights 12, forming the legs, which may be provided at their lower ends with casters (not shown). The ends are connected a short distance below the transverse members 11 by longitudinal rails 13, and preferably near the lower ends of the legs by longitudinal braces 14, which may be termed longitudinal band braces, as they are usually formed of flat metal bands, as distinguished from the L section generally used in forming the end members and rails 13. The legs 12 of each end member are preferably connected near their lower ends by a transverse band brace 15, and may in addition have angle braces 16 in the corners. If it is desired to further stiffen the structure, angle braces 17 may be provided between the uprights and rails 13, asshown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The catches necessary to hold the structure in both open and closed positions may be most conveniently formed by providing notches 18 in the lower edges of the transverse band braces 13, positioned to receive the longitudinal braces A. In order to readily accomplish the engagement of the braces B may be accomplished either by bending the braces, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or by displacing a part of the metal of the braces 15 so as to form the cams 19.

The same result, as outlined in the preceding paragraph, may be obtained by attaching small cams or catches 20 to the transverse braces 15, where necessary, as indicated in Fig. 3.

It may be found desirable to eliminate the braces'16 and raise the braces 15. making them performboth their own function and that of the braces 16. In such a case, the braces B formed according to either Figs. 2 or 3, may be made to engage with the corner braces 17, connecting the legs and rails 13, in exactly the same manner as the braces 14 were engaged. Such a structure is illustrated in Fig. 4.

It may be found in certain cases undesirableto utilize the braces 14 and 15 for locking purposes, and therefore separate catches 21 may be secured to the rear legs 12 of the part B and adapted to engage corner braces 17 of the part A or the longitudinal brace 14; These catches will of course have a downwardly projecting cam part 19 as in the preceding forms. V

In Fig. 6, a resilient catch 22 is shown, rigidly secured at one end to the back rail 13 of the part B, and adapted to engage the front rail of thepart A. The free end of this catch is formed with a depressed portion 23 which corresponds with the cam 19 and rides over the rail A flexing the catch during the locking movement.

In Fig. 7, a catch 24 is illustrated operating in the same manner as the catch 21 of Fig. 5, but having the distinction that it is pivotally mounted, for example. to one of the legs 12. In order to prevent this catch 24 falling below its proper engaging posi tion when disengaged from the member A, it'is provided with 2. depending portion 25, which abuts the leg to which it is attached, and limits downward movement. In the same way, the catch may be provided with an upwardly projecting portion 26 which may abut the leg and limit upward movement of the catch if the same is so violently operated as to cause it to jump. This construction will operate with greater ease and silence than the other.

The method of operating all forms of the forms shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive,

this riding up is accompanied by a lifting of the back legs 12 of the part B, which immediately drop to their normal position on the floor when the cam has passed over the member of part A, with which it engages. In the form shown in Fig. 6, the catch flexes, and in the form shown in Fig. 7, the catch lifts, swinging about its pivot. It will be noted that in neither of these cases do the back legs of the part B rise from the floor. The method of unlocking the parts to permit part B to be telescoped into part A is extremely simple. Part B is grasped by its front edge and slightly lifted. so that the front legs leave the floor and the part pivots on the lower extremities of its back legs. This movement. which need not be more than a couple of inches at the front. is sutlicient to disengage the catches and permit part B to be pushed back into part A. When so pushed back, the cams 19 adjacent the front legs of the part'B raise the front legs as they ride over the members of part A, with which they engage, and then allow the legs to drop to normal position, resting on the floor, so that the parts are locked in their closed-position.

To unlock the parts for opening, it is only necessary to combine a slight lifting movement with the commencement of the drawing-out movement.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that the structure is simple, durable, and inexpensively manufactured. The locking means isv absolutely automatic in its locking action, and so nearly automatic in the unlocking action that after the first few operations, when the user becomes accustomed tothe device, the unlocking is performed without conscious effort. The looking arrangement if constructed according to Figs. 1, 2 or 4 adds not a single element to the construction, so that the desired simplicity is undoubtedly obtained. The increase in cost over a structure without the lock need be only a fraction of a cent. In the remaining forms, theelements added are ofthe simplest and most inexpensive character, and do not complicate the structure in any way. While it has not been deemed necessary to illustrate the feature, it is ob vious that all the locks shown will operate as successfully, though not as conveniently, if inverted, with the exception of that shown in Fig. 7, which would probably require the addition of a spring. Therefore it will be understood that the following claims cover the locking arrangement both in the positions shown. and in inverted positions,

While the invention has been shown and described principally as a double locking arrangement, it will be understood that it may also be used to lock the couch only in the open or only in the closed position.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is a 1. In couch bed construction, a pair of telescopically arranged parts, and a brace on each part, said braces being disposed transversely of one another and arranged and formed for engagement at both limits of telescopic movement to lock the parts.

2. In couch bed construction, a pair of telescopically arranged parts, each having four legs extending to the floor, longitudinal braces on one part and transverse braces on the other part, catches carried by the transverse braces arranged to engage the longitudinal braces of the other part, and releasably lock the parts at both limits of telescopic movement, said catches being disengageable by swinging the catch carrying part about one of its longitudinal lines of support on the floor.

3. In couch bed construction, a pair of telescopically arranged parts each having four leg portions, longitudinal members connecting the leg portions of each part, and transverse braces in one part located above the longitudinal braces of the other partthroughout the greater portion of their length, and having downward projections on their lower edges adjacent each end and spaced from the legs to form notches for the reception of a longitudinal brace of the other part.

4. In couch bed construction, a pair of telescopically arranged parts each adapted to stand on a floor independently of the other part, a brace on one of said parts and a cam on the other part engageable with said brace at a limit of relative movement of the parts to lift one of the parts from the floor into locking engagement with the other part and to return the part to a position of supporting engagement with the floor in locked engagement.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ARTHUR F. KUNZE. 

